ISLAMABAD: European Union’s ambassador to Pakistan on Friday signed a $60 million grant agreement with the Ministry of Economic Affairs to address water scarcity and improve access to education in the impoverished southwestern Balochistan province.
Balochistan has some of the worst development indicators in Pakistan. About 62 percent of its population does not have access to safe drinking water, while over 60 percent of children in the province are out of school, according to United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) data.
“These new programs are the result of a sustained collaboration between the European Union, the Government of Balochistan, and the Ministry of Economic Affairs to tackle the substantial development challenges in the province and unleash its potential,” EU Ambassdor to Pakistan Androulla Kaminara said in a statement after signing the funding agreement with Ministry of Economic Affairs secretary Noor Ahmed.
Under the grant, a five-year 40-million-euro ($48 million) program on water governance implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) will help introduce low-water intensive agricultural and livestock farming systems in the province where more than 58 percent of land, which makes up 44 percent of Pakistan’s total land mass, is uncultivable due to water shortages.
“The program will also focus on strengthening public extension services to ensure farmers receive appropriate support on water for agriculture and livestock,” the EU statement said.
The second, four-year 18-million-euro ($22 million) program will support the local government to ensure that all children have access to basic education, especially in the context of the coronavirus pandemic which has led to countrywide school closures.
“In the COVID-19 context, the program will also focus on SOPs for safe school reopening and operation, as well as on enrolment and retention drives in targeted districts to avoid massive dropouts due to the pandemic,” EU said.
The program will be implemented by UNICEF.
EU approves $60 million grant for water security, education in southwestern Pakistan
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EU approves $60 million grant for water security, education in southwestern Pakistan
- 62 percent of Balochistan’s population has no access to safe drinking water
- More than 60 percent of children in the province are out of school
At least 11 killed, 9 injured as trailer collides with passenger bus in southern Pakistan
- Accident took place on National Highway in Sindh’s District Khairpur says police report
- Report says trailer collided with passenger bus on its way from Punjab to Karachi city
ISLAMABAD: Eleven people were killed and nine others were injured this week when a trailer crashed into a passenger bus in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province, a reported issued by police said on Sunday.
The accident took place on the National Highway in Sindh’s District Khairpur near Tando Masti Khan village at 01:20 am on Saturday night, a report by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Khairpur Dr. Samiullah Soomro said. It added that the accident occurred when a passenger bus, on its way from the eastern Punjab province to Karachi, was struck from behind by the trailer.
“Trailer taken into police custody,” the report said. “Further investigation and updates are in progress.”
The report said three of the injured have been shifted to Civil Hospital Khairpur while the other six have been transferred to GIMS Hospital in Gambat.
Road accidents are particularly common in Sindh, where single carriageway roads connect various cities and villages while local drivers usually avoid traffic rules and speed limits on highways.
At least eight people were killed last month in Sindh when a car and a trailer collided on the Jamshoro-Thatta road near Kotri SITE area in the province.
